Well, I FINALLY did it! My first skydive! Granted, it was a tandem, so I was attached to an instructor the whole time, but as I'm getting ready to start my AFF course, I knew I wanted to do a tandem first just so I could do a jump for the enjoyment of it. As soon as I start my AFF (Advanced Free Fall) jumps towards becoming a certified skydiver, I know I'll have all these things I'll have to remember running through my head, such as altitude checks, drills, landing, etc. So this tandem was the perfect way to start my skydiving career.
My friend and coworker at iFLY, Dan, also works at Skydive Lake Wales as the guy who takes the pics and videos for people who come to try skydiving, so he agreed to do mine for me. It was really nice to have a familiar face, but honestly, everyone was lovely. Pip was the instructor I was paired with, and he was a really funny and nice guy. They all kept asking me if I was at all scared or nervous, and I said no, which honestly, was the complete truth. I was sooooo excited! Even at the moment when you're at the edge of the plane door, just about to be pushed out, the only thought I had was "I'm jumping out of a plane!" and then we were in the sky and it just felt so normal, like being in the tunnel at iFLY, but with this incredible, stunning vista of the earth beneath you.
The only part in the entire concept of skydiving that I was nervous about was for eventually, when I do my solo jumps for AFF, steering under canopy and landing. But Pip let me steer the canopy (parachute) for most of the way and even had me do some of the drills I'd need to do for AFF, so it made me feel really at ease about everything, and now I just feel so excited and ready to take on my AFF course! Even landing wasn't tough or uncomfortable at all. It was all just so amazing and fun (fun doesn't even begin to describe it)! I'll let the photos speak for themselves, but I truly can't recommend this enough to anyone!
